Please report sightings of Yellow-legged hornets (YLH), also known as Asian hornets, on this online form or download the free Asian hornet Watch app for Apple devices or android devices. As of 31/10/2025: To view the location of destroyed nests, please visit the map page and choose the Asian Hornet map…
Asian Hornet Update – Staying Vigilant in 2025
Awareness of the Yellow-legged Hornet (formerly known as the Asian hornet) remains a critical issue for all UK beekeepers, and it has continued to be a key focus for our association this year. During both the World Bee Day event at Thornes Park and the Emley Show, members actively engaged…
Emley Show 2025 – A Celebration of Beekeeping and Community
The Emley Show, held each year on the first Saturday in August, remains a highlight of the summer calendar for Wakefield and Pontefract Beekeepers Association. The event features two honey shows: the Open Show—the official Emley Honey Show—welcoming entries from all beekeepers, and our association’s own members’ show, giving WPBKA…
Beginners’ Beekeeping Course 2025 – Another Successful Year
May marked the start of this year’s Beginners’ Beekeeping Course, which was once again fully booked with 19 enthusiastic attendees. The course is a joint venture between Wakefield & Pontefract BKA and Barnsley BKA, offering new beekeepers a strong foundation of knowledge and practical experience from both associations. A huge…
Maximising Production with Native Honey Bees: Lessons from Colm O’Neill
Irish beekeeper Colm O’Neill shares how native bees, careful record-keeping, and brood management can dramatically boost honey yields while preserving bee health. The post Maximising Production with Native Honey Bees: Lessons from Colm O’Neill appeared first on Beginner Beekeeping.
Tom Seeley
Discover how Thomas Seeley’s decades of research into honey bee behaviour and ecology reveal surprising insights for science and sustainable beekeeping. The post Tom Seeley appeared first on Beginner Beekeeping.
Viral Infections in Honey Bee Queens Disrupt Pheromones and Threaten Hive Stability
New UBC research shows how viral infections in honey bee queens suppress vital pheromones, causing colonies to replace their monarchs and threatening global pollination stability. The post Viral Infections in Honey Bee Queens Disrupt Pheromones and Threaten Hive Stability appeared first on Beginner Beekeeping.
Election of Officers and Committee 2025
The annual election of officers and committee members took place, with Mark Millard (MM) confirming that all current officers and committee members had been contacted in advance to establish whether they wished to stand for re-election. One committee member did not respond and was therefore assumed not to be standing…
Professor Stephen Martin
Few names in the world of honey bee research are as respected as Professor Stephen Martin. For nearly four decades, his work has shaped how scientists and beekeepers understand one of the most serious threats to honey bees – the Varroa destructor mite – and its link to deadly bee…
Precision nutrition for honey bees: The “super‑food” that could transform UK beekeeping
In recent years UK beekeepers have faced mounting pressures: reduced floral diversity, unpredictable weather, parasites, pesticides and landscape change. Against this backdrop, a significant scientific breakthrough may offer a fresh tool. Researchers at Oxford University, working alongside Kew, Greenwich and partners in Denmark, have engineered a yeast‑based supplement that supplies…